Toy balloon.



H. GRIFFITH.

TOY BALLOON. I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, I9|5.

' Patented 001;. 26, 1915.

T ll ll RICHARD GRIFFITH, 0F AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 MILLER RUBBER CO., OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TOY BALLOON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. as, we.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD GRIFFITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Balloons, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to toy balloons and pertains more particularly to that type of balloons which is inflated by blowing air through a mouth-piece and can be deflated at will by allowing the air to escape from the same.

The principal object of the invention consists in providing a balloon of this type with an improved form of valve mechanism adapted to be inserted and retained in the mouth-piece.

The invention further consists in providing a novel form of valve constructed of material which will be sufiiciently' light and at the same time of simple construction.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts more fully set forth hereinafter in the specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed outin the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a toy balloon, with the improved valve inserted'in the neck thereof. Fig. 2"is an enlarged bottom plan of the valve alone and, Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the same at right-angles to Fig. 1. I

Referring to the drawings, the balloon comprises a hollow body B of thin rubber of pure quality and extreme elasticity,

which will permit of its being inflated and expanded to many times its normal size. Theballoon B in its normal deflated condi-- tion is preferably of elliptical form and is provided with a tubular neck or mouthpiece C extending from one end and in subaim stantial alinement with its'lon-gest axis as shown in Fig. 1. The valve mechanism which is adapted to be inserted in the neckpiece C comprises a metal disk 1 of aluminum or other sufficiently light metal and is provided with a centrally located circular opening 2. The disk 1 is formed with a small integral flange 1* extending at rightangles thereto.

- A small flap dot-rubber or other suitable elastic material is provided ,andis adapted to be clamped by a lug 4 to the inner side of the disk 1. This flap 3 is of circular shape and being attached at only one point to the inner side of the disk 1, it acts as a valve to completely close the aperture 2 when the balloon is inflated. The outer end of the neck-piece C of the balloon is provided with a reinforcing ring 0 and when the disk valve mechanism has been inserted into the end of the neck-piece C, the reinforcing ring 0 which is elastic encircles the outer edge or periphery of the disk 1 and serves to firmly hold the valve disk or plate 1 securely in place. In order to deflate the balloon, it is only necessary to slightly dislodge theflap 3 from the aperture 2 and this can be easily done by means of a match stem, pencil point, or similar article.

The disk 1 is not permanently attached by cement to the sides of the neck-piece C but is merely retained in position by the elastic nature of the neck-piece C and the reinforcing ring 0. By having the valve disk 1 provided with an inturned edge or flang 1 an air-tight valve is provided on the inside of the balloon neck and the necessity of cementing the Valve is thus obviated.

It will be understood that the rubber flap or valve 3 is considerably larger than the hole or aperture 2 and hence the pressure exerted by the air within the balloon when it is inflated tends to maintain equal tension. on the inner surface of this flap, thus insuring a completely air-tight valve.

A valve mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention possesses the further advantages of being extremely light in weight, simple in construction and easy to insert or remove in or from the-mouth-piece of the balloon.

What-I claim is:

1. A toy balloon having a tubular neck or mouth-piece integral therewith, a disk mema ber adapted to be removably inserted and retained in said neck and a self-closing valvecarried by said member, substantially as described. I

rated disk formed of aluminum adapted to be inserted in' said neck and a self-closing flap 'valve carriedon the inner side of said disk, substantially as described;

4- A toy balloon having a tubular neck or mouth-piece integral therewith, a perforated metal disk having an inturned flange,

said disk adapted to be inserted in the outer 7 end of said neck. and a rubber disk flap valve secured to the inner sine of said disk, 10

RICHARD GRIFFITH.

Witnesses:

W. C. HORON, C. A. WOLF. 

